What's to be Done After the War's Been Won
by flamedramon6
Summary: Adventures don't always turn out as planned. Sometimes, you have to scrape out a happy ending by the skin of your teeth, through hell and high water... Old wounds and scars stick by with you after that, but when that happens? Having friends to remind you how to smile helps a lot. (Short little drabble I wrote a while back! Might do chapters for other characters maybe.)


**AN: Oh heck with it. Had to write this after beating the game. If you saw this on the FP forums that was me posting it!~ I've decided to start using my fanfiction account again for the first time... Ever, actually. For posting stories at least. Hope you all enjoy!**

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It's been two weeks since Lilac and Carol simultaneously shredded into Brevon. It was a beautiful display of vengeful violence, Lilac bursting with speed into Brevon's midsection as Carol whirled her claws against the monstrous alien's back so fast they showered sparks and _glowed_ a bright, hot, angry white.

Right now, it's a stormy night at the tree house. The thing is, after grand adventures, it's always the down time and readjusting to "normal" life that's the hardest part. Lilac and Carol and Milla knew this better than anyone right now. Thunder cracks and rolls through the sky like tank treads and roaring engines of distant war machines. Lightning pierces through the inky, clouded darkness like the beams of light and energy that arced and sliced through the air in Lilac's previous battles.

As she tosses and turns in her sleep, her subconscious is clouded with nightmares. Carol storming out on her on a rainy day just like this one. The electricity that ravaged her mind and body like the lightning rending the sky outside in two. Torque's desperate pained expression as he pleads for her own safety. Milla transforming into a grotesque monster before her very eyes. Dashing desperately to find oxygen in a vented ship. Facing Brevon and hearing that godforsaken laugh as his dripping knife arched millimeters away from her face as she raged against him, righteous fury filling every last part of her body.

"...ac!"

She hears in her dream, unable to make out the voice.

Maybe it's Brevon taunting her once more, even in the middle of their battle-

"LILAC! WAKE UP!"

The slumbering dragoness awakens with a start, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes as she reaches up to her throat with a single hand. Was… was she sick? Her throat feels _way_ more sore than usual…

Her bleary vision slowly clears as she rubs the tears away, glancing around the room. Milla and Carol are there, the former standing on the foot of her bed, hands brought to her mouth with eyes that are wide with terror. The latter is right by Lilac's side, holding her shoulders.

"Lilac… For pete's sake, you were tossing and turning and shouting like crazy for a few minutes now! Milla and I were worried _sick!_ "

Lilac pants for breath, exhaling quietly and summoning up all the courage she has to give them a little grin, giggling softly as Carol releases her shoulders.

"I'm fine girls, really. Just a little nightmare is a-"

"You were… screaming Brevon's name. More than once." Milla chimes in, speaking up finally as she crawls up the bed, sitting next to Lilac on her other side.

Lilac isn't sure how to deal with the interruption and the fact that her attempt to not worry them clearly didn't work.

"… I'm sorry." She whispers, sitting up and rubbing her temples as her hair strands droop onto the bed. "… I guess I'm just not used to not having that monster after us anymore. At least, for now."

"What are you so worried about Lilac? We beat him! We kicked his _entire army_ out of the planet and blew them up just for good measure, and he'll _never_ get the kingdom stone!" Carol protests softly, folding her arms over her chest and drumming her fingers against her bicep.

Lilac murmurs imperceptibly, about to get lost in thought once again until Milla aggressively nuzzles into the dragoness's cheek, whimpering and gazing up at Lilac's eyes.

"It's okay Lilac. T-to be scared, I mean. I used to be scared of all sorts of things all the time until I met you both. I-in fact, I still get scared sometimes… But I had you two and Torque with me, and in the end that was all that I needed to be brave. Because I had people I needed to be brave for, just like you and Carol were for me…" Milla whispers, slipping her arms around the shivering form of one of her greatest friends.

"Pff, I wasn't scared at-"

Milla shoots a little pout at Carol, her lower lip quivering.

"… Okay, maybe I was a little scared. Just a little, but that's all I'll admit to!"

"I know what you mean Milla, I do. It's just… When I think about how close he got to winning, how close to the edge we were of losing _everything_ , even you? It just makes my blood run cold." Lilac sighs, looking off to the side, trying to not look her friends in the eye.

"Well, we stuck through it to the end, fought hard enough and crazy enough that it makes those action movie heroes we've seen look like _cannon fodder_ and even if Brevon _does_ somehow show up again? We'll kick him straight where it counts n' punt him right outta orbit!" Carol grins, pumping a fist and patting her arm as she flexes her muscles before clapping Lilac on the back hard enough for the slap to echo throughout the room.

Lilac yelps and shoots a little glare at Carol before eventually breaking down in giggles, her frown melting away into a giggle as she reaches out and pulls Carol into a one armed hug (read: choke hold), before wrapping and arm around Milla too.

"Thanks girls… I'm sorry for being so down in the dumps like this. We've got a busy day ahead of ourselves tomorrow!~" She sing songs, with a genuinely happy smile.

"It's alright Lilac, you don't have to be sorry for how you feel." Milla smiles, nuzzling her nose into Lilac's cheek as she relaxes into the embrace.

Carol smacks at Lilac's arm desperately before wriggling enough to loosen her friend's grip, grinning playfully.

"But _first..._ " Carol chuckles, her eyes glinting dangerously.  
 _  
_"Since you _did_ wake us up..." Milla follows up, her lips curled up in an oddly dark smile.

"And since you _did_ decide to hide your feelings us...!~" They both say in unison before glancing to each other.

" _IT'S TIME FOR A TICKLE ATTACK!"_

The pair grip Lilac's sides, wriggling their fingers against the poor girl's stomach and relentlessly tickling her.

"PFFHAHAHAHA! I H-HA! HAHA! HAAAAATE YOU BOTH SSSHHFFFAAHAHAHA SO MUCH!" She squeals, kicking and writhing in their grasp.

Lilac reaches up behind her head and snags her own pillow before WHACKING Carol right off the top bunk and batting Milla on the head a few times, who counters with a little barrier that sends Lilac's pillow rebounding into her face.

"Oh that's _it_!" Carol screams, yanking two pillows out from the bottom bunk before leaping into the air. " ** _PILLOW KUMITEEEEEE!_** "

And lo did the rogue cat's thunderous battle cry echo through the Lilac Residence, which soon became a site of what historians would later chronicle as the 1 Hour Pillow War, with a ceasefire settled at the Living Room Conference and commemorated with the Pepperoni Pizza Pie of Peace and Prosperity (which was subsequently consumed maybe 10 minutes before the trio fell asleep on the floor like the pack of lovable dorks they are).

For now, Brevon may still be out there, and the wounds from their experiences are still healing...

But tonight?

Everything is just fine.


End file.
